Chapter 7

The guards ushered us out to the town square where a podium had been set up. I was put directly into the first row in front of the podium next to Isabel and Helena. At that moment I realized that Laurel was missing. I looked around searching for her. I couldn't find her anywhere, however. Then I heard Sara gasp behind me. Laurel was pulled by two guards on the podium, as well as Tommy. Laurel was forced to her knees and her hands were tied with palms facing up on the block. Tommy had to kneel down opposite her. He was forced to take off his shirt and his arms were tied in front of him. I could see from my seat that fear was written on their faces. Two men also stepped onto the podium, one of them had a whip in his hand.

"Today Thomas Merlyn and Laurel Lance are accused of treason against the Crown having committed. Laurel Lance and Thomas Merlyn have entered into a romantic relationship, despite _ that Laurel Lance is a Selected and to be its first forbidden romantic relationship to have with someone other than the Prince. This offense is punishable by death. But the prince shows mercy and sentenced these two to each fifteen lashes and downgraded them down to Eights. "

In shock, I stared at what was happening in front of me. Bewildered, I watched as the man with the whip stood before Laurel, his arm raised and a downward movement made with it. "One" Laurel screamed. I sought the gaze of my mother in the crowd. She stood with a blank horror written on her face

"Two"

I looked at Oliver. He would do something. But Oliver stared stubbornly straight ahead. He looked cold and emotionless.

"Three"

I could not watch. I had to do something.

"Four"

And then I made a decision.

"Five"

I rushed up to the podium and was about to throw myself between Laurel and the man with the whip. But two men grabbed me and dragged me away. I screamed, bit, kicked, and scratched, everything I could think of to get away from the men. But their grip was immovable. They took me to my room and left me there alone behind. I threw myself on my bed crying.

A week went by that I spent just in my room. Oliver I did not wish to see. Roy brought me my food and kept me company in his spare time. I had the feeling that Thea gave him more often free time to look after me. It was lunchtime; that meant Roy would come at any moment to bring me my food. And as if by command there was a knock. I pushed my books aside to make room on the table. "Come in!" I called with my back to the door. The door opened, but I did not hear _ approaching footsteps. I turned around to tell him he should not be so reluctant to enter my room. We had after all shared a room for a while. But I was left with the words stuck in my throat. Because, I saw that in the doorway Oliver stood with a tray in his arms.

"May I come in?"

He asked nervously. I toyed with the idea of saying no, but decided against it and instead nodded. He sighed with relief. He stepped closer and placed the tray on the table.

"May I ...? You allow ...?"

He struggled for words. I looked at him expectantly. I could imagine what he was going to ask, but I wanted to let him sweat a little bit longer. Because I realized that the following conversation was the crucial turning point in our relationship. Either this conversation would ruin everything between us or would bind us closer together. Oliver took a deep breath.

"Can we eat together?"

I sat down without saying a word and started poking around at my food. Oliver sat down reluctantly opposite me and when he realized that I was not going to send him away, he began to eat. It stretched out to an uncomfortable silence between us. After ten minutes, Oliver threw frustrated his cutlery on his plate. He stood up and began to pace my room. I could see how the wheels turned in his head, and then he stopped abruptly.

"We eat in the kitchen."

He sounded as determined and confident at the moment as this would solve everything that had gone wrong that I did not resist when he took me by the hand and pulled me to the kitchen. He pulled me into an empty room next to the kitchen and pushed me into a chair.

"Wait here!"

He disappeared through a door. After a few minutes he returned and placed a plate of sandwiches on the table, but he had not come alone. Beside him stood Laurel and I gasped and jumped up. Oliver turned to Laurel.

"I look after Tommy. You two can talk."

He left the room and I could only stare after him.

"Eat! You look thin."

Laurel told me. I turned to face her. She had already sat down. I examined her. She seemed to be okay except her bandaged hands. I sat down beside her and looked at her questioningly.

"How?"

"After the punishment was over, Oliver had put us in the infirmary. There he let the doctor take care of our wounds. Then he apologized to. He was so terribly sorry that we had to go through that. And if we could forgive him for what took place. _. He looked so crestfallen. Tommy has meant that this was not his fault and that he forgave him. Oliver swore that he would remove this barbaric rule once he was king. He has given us accommodations. I will help from now on Raisa and Sara in the kitchen. Tommy will help out in the stables, once his back allows it."

Mir Tears came into his eyes. I had to apologize for my behavior to Oliver immediately. But Laurel grabbed my hands.

"I wanted to thank you."

Astonished, I looked at her.

"For what?"

"For when you stormed to the podium; that you wanted to help me and Tommy."

"It did not have much effect."

I muttered.

"It still meant the world to me."

She said sincerely, then, she squeezed my hand.

"You'll be a wonderful queen."

She pulled me up and pushed me toward the door.

"Now go! Get him! "

I ran through the palace looking for Oliver. I finally found him in the library. When I finally saw him, I could not help myself but to embrace him.

"I'm sorry that I doubted you."

I whispered into his shoulder. He pulled me closer.

"It's okay"

We remained so for a while. Oliver pulled away at once from me and led me to a couch. He sat down on this and pulled me onto his lap. I snuggled up to him.

"Felicity, do you want to be with me?"

He asked me seriously. I looked him straight in the eye.

"I want to share the rest of my life with you."

I said truthfully. A wide beam with joy spread across his face. We cuddled for a while on the couch until Oliver said goodbye because he had to do a few more things before he could ask me officially. He promised me I would have to wait just a few more days. Then we could start our life together. I was on cloud nine so that Helena's biting comment could not even hurt me when I crashed into her at the door.

I was sitting with Thea in the lounge. We were played cards, as two guards grabbed me roughly by the arms and dragged me out. They put me in a car. When I ask what the matter was, I got the answer that thieves were not welcomed in the palace. Before I could protest that I was not a thief, that they had made a mistake, they already slammed the car door shut. The car set immediately into motion. Shocked, I sat there. I knew neither front nor back. It was only when the car stopped and the door was opened and I stared into the worried face of my mother, I realized that I would never see Oliver again. I let myself fall weeping into the arms of my mother. I could not even say goodbye.